Prevention is the key in health.  

If you want to avoid periodontal disease you need to control the bacteria in your mouth, that sticky colorless biofilm that forms in your teeth, and gets inside the gumline and produces a severe reaction, that first starts as red, tender, easliy bleeding gums, that if left untreated, can turn into an infection that starts to produce a defensive response in your body.  This response is called inflammation, and it is a chemical response that involves your blood vessels, immune cells in your blood, your liver. This inflammatory reaction can damage other areas in your body, and the one that suffers more damage from this bacterial attack is the teeth supporting bone in your jaws.

Bacteria control at-home involves toothbrush, dental floss, interdental picks, interdental brushes, mouthrinses and a variety of "tools" to keep the mouth as free of disease causing bacteria as possible.  But even if you are the perfect "brusher/flosser", the visit to the oral health professional for maintenance is extremely important, some people need 2 visits a year, others 3, some even 4, to maintain their health.

The pursuit for overall health should always include your mouth.  A healthy lifestyle includes, exercise, nutritious food, no smoking, sensible alcohol drinking, and it should include excellent at-home plaque control and regular visits to your oral health professionals.